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Home My WebLink About20210623-Pyrolysis.System.Feasibility.Study_Pyrolysis System Feasibility Study For the Port of Port Townsend Introduction Project Team & Partners Project Background Project Team & Partners This study was conducted under a Recycling Development Center grant received by the Port from the Washington State Department of Ecology. Tetra Tech, Inc. has completed this study on behalf of the Port of Port Townsend. This study was completed by the following engineers and technical specialists from Tetra Tech: Chris Doherty; Keith Henn; Phil Lusk; Chris Noah, P.E.; Anne O’Bradovich; Kimberly Porsche, P.E.; and Al Randall Tetra Tech would like to provide thanks to: Eron Berg –Executive Director of the Port of Port Townsend Eric Toews –Deputy Director of the Port of Port Townsend Pete Langley –Port Foundry Al Cairns –Solid Waste Manger of Jefferson County Department of Public Works Background Feasibility Study Goal: Assess if the conversion of waste plastics via pyrolysis is an effective alternative to the current waste disposal practices. The current practice includes collecting recyclables including plastics in Port Townsend and trucking them to Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Tacoma, Washington. Objectives: •Identify, analyze, and evaluate available and potential future feedstocks •Evaluate appropriate pyrolysis technologies and provide recommended option •Identify offtake market applicability and options for pyrolysis outputs •Develop an economic assessment for the recommended option •Develop a preliminary permitting matrix Background Thermal Chemical Conversion Pathways Feedstock Assessment Existing Feedstock and Recycling Practices Feedstock Projections Pyrolysis Scenario Feedstock Assumptions Existing Feedstock & Recycling Practices Existing Feedstock & Recycling Practices 21,148 21,851 21,819 5,543 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 2018 2019 2020 2021TONNAGES ALL SITESSOLID WASTE TONNAGES BY YEAR 3689 3875 3951 1002 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 2018 2019 2020 2021 SKOOKUM TONNAGES BY YEAR Jefferson County Plastic Waste Characterization 8%6% 0%0%3% 1% 8% 74% Plastic Waste by Type Plastics Type #1 Plastics Type #2 Plastics Type #3 Plastics Type #4 Plastics Type #5 Plastics Type #6 Plastics Type #7 Potential Available Feedstock Projections 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Tons/Year Projection of Generated Plastic Waste by Type, No Change in Single Use Plastic Habits Jefferson County, WA #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 0.0 100.0 200.0 300.0 400.0 500.0 600.0 Tons/Year Projection of Generated Plastic Waste by Type, Steady Decline in Single Use Plastic Habits Jefferson County, WA #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 Pretreatment System Overview Vendors & Sizing Pretreatment Overview The goal of pretreatment is to concentrate the valuable feedstock that can be converted and separate it from inert material or other contaminants that cannot be converted. We reviewed: •Non-Source Separated (not selected) •Source Separated (selected) Receiving / Storage Sorting Conveyor Infeed Conveyor Shredder Outfeed Conveyor Storage Source Separated Pretreatment Process Train Pretreatment Overview Pyrolysis System Technology Overview Vendor Screening Most Probable Technology Block Flow Diagram Products Pyrolysis Overview Pyrolysis is defined as the thermal breakdown of higher chain organic molecules (cracking)into smaller organic components.This thermal cracking is done in the absence of oxygen,sometimes with the addition of a catalyst. The resulting products from the pyrolysis process are: •Char:Consists of high carbon content solids.Also,any inorganics that might be contained in the waste stream and catalysts that were added and carried through the process. •Non-condensable Gas:Made up of hydrogen,methane,carbon monoxide and other non-condensable gases.Can be burned similar to natural gas. •Condensable Liquids:Sometimes referred to as Pyrolysis Oils.Made up of dozens of organic chemicals.Can be exported as-is or separated via distillation or other processing methods. Pyrolysis Vendor Screening Vendor Location Web Page Response Evaluated Agilyx Tigard, OR https://www.agilyx.com/Yes Yes Alterra Akron, OH https://alterraenergy.com/Yes Yes Braven Environmental Yonkers, NY https://bravenenvironmental.com/No No Encina The Woodlands, TX https://www.encina.com/No No Enerkem Edmonton, AB https://enerkem.com/Yes Declined Nexus Fuels Atlanta, GA https://www.nexusfuels.com/Yes Yes PDO Technologies Brooks, OR https://www.pdotech.com/Yes Yes Recycling Technologies Swindon, United Kingdom https://recyclingtechnologies.co.uk/Yes Declined ThermoChem Recovery International Baltimore, MD https://tri-inc.net/pyrolysis/No No Weiss-Linka Denmark https://www.weiss2energy.eu/No No PDO Technologies Block Flow Diagram Products Pyrolysis Oil a.Can be transported to a refinery as-is (sometimes called “Syn-Crude”) and used as a supplement for crude oil. Must be stored and transported at higher temperatures for flowability. b.Can be distilled on-site and separated into various cuts that may include the following: a.Waxes and heavy hydrocarbons b.Diesel and gasoline fuel blend stocks c.Naptha products Non-Condensable Gases a.Can be combusted on site to provide heat to the pyrolysis process b.Can be combusted on site to provide electricity to the pyrolysis process or for export Char a.Can be refined and marketed as a Carbon Black substitute or other manufacturing constituent b.Can be marketed and used as a fuel supplement c.Can be disposed of as a solid waste product Economic Assessment 200 Ton/Year 500 Ton/Year 200 Tons/Year Feedstock Scenario 500 Tons/Year Feedstock Scenario Conclusions & Recommendations Conclusions Most Probable Technology:PDO Technologies Their technology is feedstock flexible,able to shift products,and allows for greater operational flexibility due to the batch operation of the pyrolysis reactor. System Sizing: •Maximum Size 500 Tons/Year –PDO Technologies Single Stationary Unit •Minimum Size 200 Tons/Year –PDO Technologies Mobile Unit System Economics: •500 Tons/Year –PDO Technologies Single Stationary Unit •Total project capital and operational costs is approximately $2.5M and $223K/year •Estimated revenue is $138K/year from sale of 55,500 gallons of fuel at $2.50/gallon •A minimum tip fee of $0.70/lb is required to break even •200 Tons/Year –PDO Technologies Mobile Unit •Total project capital and operational costs is approximately $2.2M and $280K/year •Estimated revenue is $278K/year from sale of 111 ,420 gallons of fuel at $2.50/gallon •A minimum tip fee of $0.21/lb is required to break even Limitations on Feedstock Sourcing •Curbside services within the City of Port Townsend is currently a three-bin system which is contracted.It is unlikely that the provider would provide a separate bin for plastics. •Curbside services for unincorporated Jefferson County are by subscription with a private sector hauler.This hauler is unlikely to adjust service to provide a separate bin for plastics. •Drop box services have high contamination rates (up to 30%)mostly stemming from plastics. •Public Works is not presently interested in financing or siting on County property a MRF to separate plastics from MSW •As state and federal legislative action is trending towards reducing the production and consumption of single use plastics,Jefferson County has been considering discontinuation of plastic collection as part of its services Recommendations •Contact PDO Technologies for a more detailed discussion/presentation of their process considering the now known parameters of the Port of Port Townsend application.The discussion should include possible financing options and potential off-take scenarios. •Confirm the feasibility of implementing a plastics-only source separation program (inclusion of another collection bin) •Conduct a waste composition study to better quantify the type and composition of plastic feedstock available for a pyrolysis project •Investigate the feasibility of combining the Port’s waste plastics with the waste plastic from the rest of Jefferson County to support a larger scale pyrolysis project. •Perform a local/regional market assessment to quantify the market potential and pricing for pyrolysis products including the char as a manufacturing additive or solid fuel replacement,the syn-crude as a diesel fuel blendstock,and the naptha and heavy hydrocarbons as petrochemical additives.